The present invention relates, in general, to the indicator lamps of motor vehicles.
The general objective of an indicator lamp is to emit light in an indicating region defined by a certain angular interval in terms of height and another angular interval, generally larger, in terms of width, these intervals being defined by a xe2x80x9cphotometric gridxe2x80x9d imposed by the regulations or the constructors, and which moreover defines light minima to be complied with at certain points of the grid.
The distribution of the light originating from the light source and, if appropriate, from an optical element for recovering and/or concentrating the flux (such as an inwardly curved mirror occupying the back of the lamp or a Fresnel lens, for example), is most often undertaken by optical elements, such as spherical or toroidal lenses (xe2x80x9cballsxe2x80x9d) formed into an array on the inner surface of the glazing or bezel of the lamp.
In general, the curvature of this glazing, and principally its average inclination with respect to a vertical plane transverse to the axis of the vehicle, is deliberately limited, precisely so that the glazing can work the light in such a way as to cover the whole of the photometric grid, knowing that this coverage may prove to be very problematical, or even impossible to achieve, if the curvature is substantial.
Furthermore, the present-date tendency as regards the design of indicator lamps translates into lamps of great depth, the glazing of which is sharply curved especially so as to lie within the region of the xe2x80x9cwing turn-roundxe2x80x9d of the vehicle, and for which it is desired that the glazing should be devoid of the balls described above, being either smooth, or provided with optical elements (striations or the like) processing light only in one single dimension (preferably vertically or horizontally).
This tendency renders appropriate coverage of the photometric grid more and more difficult.
The present invention aims to remedy these limitations of the state of the art and to propose an indicator lamp which, while satisfying the modern tendencies, can comply appropriately with the photometric grid imposed, especially as regards width.
Thus the invention proposes an indicator lamp for a motor vehicle, delimited at least on one side corresponding to the inside of the vehicle by a partition running along the lamp over a substantial depth and comprising a light source, a flux concentrator and/or recuperator element comprising a mirror arranged in the back of a lamp cavity delimited partly by the said partition, and glazing, the partition possessing a free edge in the vicinity of the glazing and the flux concentrator and/or recuperator element extending set back with respect to the said free edge of the partition, the lamp possessing a principal emission axis extending substantially parallel to the partition, the said lamp further comprising auxiliary optical means comprising an auxiliary reflecting area situated on the side opposite the said partition with respect to the bulb and able to direct, directly onto the glazing in the vicinity of the partition, an auxiliary luminous flux the average direction of which is substantially inclined laterally with respect to the said principal axis, characterised in that the said auxiliary reflecting area comprises a segment of axisymmetric paraboloid focused in the vicinity of the source and the axis of which is oriented along the said average direction.
Preferred, but non-limiting, aspects of the indicator lamp according to the invention are as follows:
the said auxiliary reflecting area is adjacent to the mirror.
the said auxiliary reflecting area is formed on a step discontinuity in a second partition opposite the said partition and at a distance from the mirror.
the said auxiliary reflecting area comprises at least two sub-areas able to reflect the light into different average directions and/or with different spreading characteristics.
the various sub-areas extend along a row.
the said row extends generally vertically.
the mirror of the lamp is able to spread out the light in horizontal and/or vertical cross-section, and the auxiliary reflecting area is able to spread out the light in the corresponding cross-section(s).